Beauty queen claims organizer insults

UPI News Service, 08/12/2010

A New Zealand teen beauty queen who was forced to relinquish her crown said an organizer told her she "would not go far in this world."

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Olivia O'Neil, 15, who wore the Miss Teen Wanganui crown for only 3 months, said she was forced to give up the throne when pageant organizer Barbara Osborne saw a picture on Facebook of her newly dyed dark brown hair, the New Zealand Herald reported Thursday.

O'Neil said Osborne repeatedly posted comments asking if the new hair style was a wig.

The teenager said she replied explaining the hair was not a wig and perhaps pageants were not for her if the hairstyle was not "pageant worthy."

"Well you better decide, miss. Hand over your crown with an attitude like that. I'm sure someone will step into your place with manners," Osborne wrote.

O'Neil said she handed in the crown and Osborne told her she "would not go far in this world".

"I don't think you can tell a 15-year-old that they aren't going to go very far in life. It's hurtful," O'Neil said.

Osborne declined to comment, the Herald said.

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